My ASD Child

"Are there certain things that I should tell my son's new teacher before he starts the new school year in order to help her make any necessary adjustments or accommodations?" You have had several years of experience figuring-out what works and what doesn’t work in managing your son.    While his teacher understands the fundamentals of teaching, he/she may be lacking in crucial information about ASD [[High-Functioning Autism], and what works best in certain circumstances. This means that you have information to share with the teacher, and the time to do that is before (or very near) the time your son enters the classroom. Here are the basics to discuss with your son's teacher: You’ll want to share information on your son’s diagnosis and his  normal level of functioning. If your son has a normal or above normal IQ, tell the teacher that he has the cognitive ability to succeed under the right circumstances. Talk about visual learning and the fact that chil

"Is it common for a child with autism (high functioning) to quickly and easily get upset about little things throughout the day? The least little thing will set my son off." Children with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) often suffer from different types of stress compared to other kids. Stressors can be as diverse as school issues to the texture of their clothing! These young people often suffer from so many obsessive thoughts that they are stressed out by things such as noise, smell, certain textures, things out of place, and disorder in general. These "special needs" kids are perceived to be quite intolerant of others as well as the environment. They often become very anxious in unstructured settings and in situations where people are moving at random. They may not be able to tolerate people standing close to them. Whether it is sudden or it comes from general background activity, noise can cause acute stress, fear and even panic and, at the very least

"I've been thinking about home schooling my 6-year-old (high functioning autistic) son. Are there any critical issues I should examine before making this move? I'm undecided at this point and want to make the right decision." When faced with questions about how to educate your child, the challenges become all that much more difficult if he has ASD or High-Functioning Autism (HFA). Home schooling is an option for many children, and it could be the best educational choice for a child on the autism spectrum. The first decision to make is whether or not the family has the resources of time necessary to home school the "special needs" student. Special learning techniques may need to be learned, and parents who home school need lots of patience and a level head. It may be interesting to try your child out at a private schooling situation before deciding on home schooling. Some HFA kids fit fairly well into the classroom, while others are quickly lab

"My son was diagnosed with level 1 (high functioning) autism last week. I must say I am feeling a mixed bag of emotions here. How do I tell other family members and friends that my son has this - or is it better to not say anything?" First of all, there's nothing to be ashamed of here. ASD Level 1, or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), is not a disease or the result of bad parenting, rather it is a neurological disorder. You can't catch a disorder, but you can catch a disease. A disorder is inherited, whereas a disease can be caught by anyone who is not immune to it. More specifically, a disorder is an "abnormality of function ." A disease is a definite "pathological process ." HFA is certainly nothing to be afraid of.  Would you feel as alarmed if your son had been diagnosed with Dyslexia (another neurological disorder)? Probably not. When parents hear the word "autism," a lot of frightening images (misconceptions) may pop-up in th

==> How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Aspergers and HFA

"My child (high functioning autistic) rarely makes eye contact with people other than immediate family. Our neighbors have even made the comment that my son appears to ignore them when they have attempted a conversation, and now they have pretty much stopped trying to engage him. Should I insist that he look people in the eye when they are talking to him, or just let it go?" While it's not a good idea to force a youngster with ASD or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) to "look people in the eye" during conversations, there is certainly something to be said for teaching him a few social skills so that he's not perceived as being rude. Giving the speaker some indication that you are listening is simply the polite thing to do, and your son needs to understand this. Kids with HFA generally don’t have the innate ability to exchange eye contact or use appropriate facial expressions when interacting with others. This can make them seem odd when interacting with

"My 5-year-old is obsessed with Legos. In fact, his entire bedroom looks like a Lego museum. People who go into his room are rather impressed with the massive structures he has created. But my question is, should I allow him to continue to collect these pieces? It is starting to become a bit overwhelming." Children with ASD or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) often must deal with obsessions and compulsive behavior. They may become fixated on a narrow subject, such as the weather, compulsive neatness, baseball statistics or other narrow interest. In fact, this is often a hallmark sign of the disorder. While most of the core issues with HFA can’t be "cured," there are ways a family can cope with such issues and learn to overcome some of them. For example, kids on the autism spectrum can be explicitly taught better ways of communication with others, which will lessen their focus on the obsession or other solitary activities.  Certain types of cognitive behaviora

"My son (high functioning autistic) really struggles making and keeping friends. Is there anything I can do to help him with this? He is content to play by himself for the most part, but I can tell he feels left out and would really enjoy have some playmates." When a "neurotypical" child (i.e., a child without ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism) makes friends, parents are not often involved in the choice of the friend or the facilitation of the friendship.  But, the parents of an child on the autism spectrum should be  active participants in helping him make and keep solid friends. Part of the process involves concretely teaching the child how an "average" (for the lack of a better term) friend should act. Teaching him politeness, restraint in some situations, and how to talk and establish good eye contact with others will help this child learn skills that aren’t innate to his development. Finding a child to be your son’s friend in the s

"My [high functioning] autistic daughter has to have everything in her room just so. If anything gets moved (for example, when I dust the furniture or change her bed sheets), she has a fit. She always knows if something is missing or has been moved to a different spot. Is this part of her autism, or is it OCD, or both?" One of the hallmarks of ASD Level 1 [High-Functioning Autism] is the development of obsessive thinking and the performing of ritual behaviors done to reduce stress and anxiety. This type of behavior can later meet the criteria in adulthood for obsessive-compulsive disorder. ASD children often have an obsessive interest in a particular subject -- and very little interest in much else. They may obsessively seek information about maps or clocks or some other topic.  They may also be very inflexible in their habits and may rigidly adhere to certain routines or rituals. These obsessions and compulsions are believed to be biological in origin. This means th

"My 5 y.o. son was recently diagnosed with high functioning autism. In light of this revelation, should I discipline him the same way I do my other kids, or should I make some adjustments based on his condition?" Kids with ASD Level 1 or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) have no greater permission to misbehave than your other kids. But, the way you gain control over your “typical” kids’ behavior will differ with an HFA youngster, mostly because of differences in how he thinks and how he perceives rewards and discipline. HFA kids do not respond well to negative reinforcement (e.g., threatening, scolding, etc.). Also, they don’t respond negatively to isolation, so the statement, “Go to your room!” may be seen as a reward instead of a consequence. Furthermore, spanking should never be used – not even as a last resort.  ==>  How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Due to the way he thinks, your son probably won’t be able to tie the “mi